The regular-season finale between Morgan County (8-1, 4-0 Region 4-AAA) and Harlem (7-2, 4-0) this Friday has huge implications, with the winner of the contest being crowned the region champs.
• Series History: Morgan County leads, 18-10-1.
• Last Meeting: Harlem defeated Morgan County 34-17 in 2022.
Last season, Harlem took the Region 4-AAA title with a 34-17 win over Morgan County at Bill Corry Stadium, so Clint Jenkins and his Bulldogs’ squad are hoping for a better result this Friday night.
Harlem, who also are the Bulldogs, are led by quarterback Ethan Evangelista. He has passed for 1,678 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only one interception while rushing for 476 total yards and 10 scores.
“The most impressive thing is that he doesn’t turn the ball over,” Jenkins said of Evangelista. “He’s a guy that makes the quick throws and can sling it vertically, too. They’ve got a good RPO system set up and he’s always got an answer. He can run the football but also always has his eyes downfield. He’s made some gunslinger-type plays, but what is more impressive about that is those guys turn the ball over a lot, and he doesn’t. … He leads a very aggressive downfield attack.”
Evangelista’s brother, Elijah, is his favorite receiver. Elijah has hauled in a team-high 43 receptions for 625 yards and seven touchdowns. Fellow senior Kee Williams also is a deep threat. Williams has caught 27 receptions for 569 yards and five touchdowns during his 2023 campaign.
It will be interesting to see how Morgan County will combat Harlem’s passing attack. The Bulldogs have one of the best scoring defenses in Class AAA, giving up only nine points per game.
The Bulldogs have a strong secondary, with most of its players being veterans. Zach Moore, Jay Dorsey, and Trevon Rhodes are three seniors who have helped limit opposing offensive passing attacks.
Offensively, Morgan County’s offense is rolling, with five straight games of scoring 35 points or more. The Bulldogs have a balanced attack led by quarterbacks Talan Fuller and Davis Strickland, while Jay Dorsey, who recently reached the 1,000-yard mark, is also solid in the backfield.
However, Harlem’s defense is stout. The Bulldogs of Columbia County have held their opponents to 14 points or less in five of nine games so far this season. Morgan County will have to let the run-game open up the pass-game if it wants to leave Friday’s road contest with a victory.
With Morgan County being a run-first team, it’s good because Harlem’s defense forces turnovers through the air. The visiting Bulldogs enter Friday’s contest with nine interceptions through nine games.
While Jenkins wants his team to win a region title, he doesn’t want his players looking ahead of Harlem.
“Winning a region championship would mean a lot to the kids, parents, and the community. But we need to keep things in perspective,” Jenkins said. “Friday is important because it’s the next game.”